


Dame Fortune’s A Real Bitch (Trust Me, I’ve Met Her)

by Joules Mer (joulesmer)



Series: The Cupid Chronicles [3]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Xena: Warrior Princess, M/M, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-08 03:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20292439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joulesmer/pseuds/Joules%20Mer
Summary: Jim was sulking.  As if Leonard’s wings were forhimalone.Leonard’s natural reaction had been to roll his eyes, albeit good-naturedly, and snort, “Don’t be an infant.”It hadn’t helped.





	1. Chapter 1

It was a series of misfortunes, really.

First, the magnetic interference in the rocky surface that meant they had to hike down into a canyon to reach the survey site.

Second, the damn path hadn’t been as stable as it looked.

Then, of course, there was only one logical solution to getting out of the mess.

Now, Jim was sulking. As if Leonard’s wings were for _him_ alone.

The doctor’s natural reaction had been to roll his eyes, albeit good naturedly, and snort, “Don’t be an infant.”

It hadn’t helped.

**********

The day had started benignly enough with Jim’s voice, warbling in the shower, “Doctor, Doctor, gimme the news— I got a bad case of lovin' you.” It had been a favorite choice since the big reveal and it still grated on Leonard’s last nerve. Probably why Jim kept singing it.

If that wasn’t the most auspicious of starts, it had gone straight downhill with an emergency briefing about a missing survey team getting in the way of breakfast. Then there was a misplaced vaccine in the med bay which meant he had to bolt down a protein bar in lieu of lunch in order to get to the transporter on time.

They were at least almost at the valley floor when the path had given way, under Uhura’s foot of all people. She gave a soft noise of surprise and slipped, vanishing over the edge with Spock’s urgent cry of, “Nyota!”

Heart in his throat, Leonard had scrambled down the slope to find her in a dusty heap fifteen feet below, cheeks pinking with embarrassment even as she clutched her ankle in obvious pain. Carefully probing the joint with his fingers gave a diagnosis quickly confirmed by the scanner: just a sprain, but severe enough walking on it would be a bad idea. Brushing hair back from a scrape on her forehead, he mustered a smile as he said, “You’ll live, but you have a date with ligament regen when we’re back on the ship.” Relief warred with frustration on her face and Leonard gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance. 

Jim looked sweaty and upset— Uhura wasn’t strictly needed for the mission; he’d probably intended to give her a chance to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air. Once they had reached the planet, scans from orbit suggested the survey team had simply suffered a technological failure on their communication equipment, rather than anything more sinister. Squinting into the sunlight, he said, “Spock, Simmonds and I can continue alone, but we should get Ny back to the ship.”

Eyeing the treacherous, steep climb back to the transport site Leonard came to a quick decision and swept her away from Spock and up into his own arms— for her height and considerable strength she weighed next to nothing— and softly asked, “You trust me with this, darlin?”

Bless her, she hadn’t even taken a moment to search his face before nodding her assent. 

His wings came easily, even though he hadn’t summoned them outside of Jim’s quarters in weeks— hadn’t flown at all since his own near-death a month ago. It felt different to fly carrying someone, not quite effortless as it used to be, but by no means as difficult as actually lifting her weight and walking. If she were on his back, Leonard realized, he might not notice the burden at all.

They made it back to the beam out site quickly, the others at least an hour’s hike below. Gently setting Uhura down so she could balance on her good leg, he flipped open his comm, “McCoy to Kirk: we’re at the beam out site now and I’ll take Nyota back to the ship for treatment.”

“Sure, Bones. See you later.”

If Jim’s voice sounded strained, only Leonard’s ears could detect it.

**********

The rest of the day was odd— Jim and the team returned from the planet, but the captain was unusually silent during his post mission physical. He didn’t even make a single lewd innuendo when Leonard told him to get out of his dusty uniform. They had dinner together, as always, but the kid just picked at a burger and fries, conversation largely monosyllabic.

Eventually, Leonard decided he was done, thank you very much, and rounded on the younger man as soon as the door to the captain’s quarters slid shut behind them that evening. Mild tone belying the words, he asked, “What the hell is your problem, Jim? You’ve been pissy ever since we got back from the planet.”

“Are you seriously asking me that?”

Leonard scowled, because he thought he’d been pretty goddamn clear. Taking in the way Jim’s arms were crossed defensively over his chest a sudden possibility presented itself: “Are you jealous? That I flew with Uhura?” When the accusation was met with silence, he snorted in surprise, “Don’t be an infant.” If Leonard could have snatched the words back he would have, but instead they hung in the air between them as Jim’s eyes widened.

Hurt.

A brief flash of anger.

Then Jim turned and abruptly left the room, stomping off in the direction of the bridge, nevermind that his shift was over.

Left alone, Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose and silently counted until the urge to pursue had evaporated, leaving only a sour feeling in the pit of his stomach. He remembered Jim’s flurry of questions when he’d first revealed his wings:

“How strong are they?  
Can you carry things when you’re flying?  
Wait, could you carry _me_?”

Four thousand years and he could still be a bit oblivious. Leonard scrubbed a hand through his hair in frustration, then smoothed it back into place. He had to pay a visit to deck six.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim stayed away until almost 2100. When he did return to the quarters to find Leonard watching a vid on the couch, the younger man paused awkwardly inside the door and softly admitted, “I was a bit of an ass.” Taking in the set of the older man’s shoulders, he amended, “A total ass. I’m sorry.”

Leonard sighed, “Well I could have handled it better. Caught me off guard that you might want to fly with me.”

“Bones,” Jim’s eyes were wide in confusion as he took a step further into the room, “that is literally _all_ I have wanted to do since I found out you have wings.”

Leonard had to swallow a lump in his throat before he managed to ask, “We still going to be in orbit tomorrow morning?”

Jim’s forehead crinkled at the non sequitur, but he nodded.

Reaching behind himself, Leonard pulled out something that gave a metallic rattle as carabiners knocked together and set it on the table. The quartermaster had frowned at the unconventional design— somewhere in the ballpark of suspenders mating with a climbing harness— but assured Leonard that it could be fabricated without any trouble.

Jim crossed the room quickly, kneeling in front of the low coffee table to inspect the two-part harness and the clips that joined them together.

Leonard gave a half smile at the expression that bloomed on the younger man’s face as he explained, “It’ll be better with you on my back.”

“Are you—“ _serious_ was cut off in a huff of breath, awe blotting out Jim’s ability to speak.

“Get some sleep, kid. We’re going flying tomorrow.”

**********

Leonard tugged one last time to satisfy himself that everything was as secure as it could be, then twisted to give one final order: “Hold on to the straps for balance— do _not_ grab me around my neck.”

Jim nodded, eyes shining with excitement as Leonard gave an experimental flap of his wings, easily lifting both men onto their toes. A moment to gather his nerve, a hard beat of wings, and they were five, ten, twenty, hovering thirty meters above the ground.

“Holy shit, Bones!” Jim gave a chuff of laughter, gasping again in delight as a stiff breeze ruffled his hair and he repeated, “Holy shit!”

Then Leonard set them shooting upwards only to dive until they were skimming along the surface of a lake, Jim whooping in delight as they rose even higher again only to spiral dizzyingly but deliberately back down.

They struck off towards some mountains in the distance, quickly rising up past the foothills and over a small chain of alpine lakes. Jim’s voice was close to Leonard’s ear as he said, “Fuck, Bones, I am never going space jumping again so long as we can do this.”

Leonard laughed, something pleased and giddy curling in his belly as he called back, “You are never flying again where I can’t catch you if you fall.”


End file.
